Game rules : Croquet
The essential rules of each game, available offline.
The garden game where you push your ball through the hoops, first to the total wins.
Overview
Croquet is played on a lawn where hoops and one or two pegs are set. Using a mallet, each player strikes their ball to send it through the hoops in a set order, then to strike the final peg.
Elegant and tactical, croquet plays in the garden, with family or friends, solo or in teams. You score points by clearing hoops, and the first side to complete the course wins the game.
Origin and history
Modern croquet was codified in England in the mid-19th century, from older ball-and-mallet games from Ireland and France. It became a fashionable garden pastime in high Victorian society.
Two main forms coexist today: association croquet, tactical and heavily regulated, and golf croquet, simpler and faster. The family garden version mostly follows the spirit of golf croquet, with a course of hoops to clear in order.
Goal
Run your ball through the hoop course before your opponent.
Equipment
- A set of coloured balls (one per player or per side).
- Wooden mallets to strike the balls.
- Six metal hoops and one or two pegs to set on the lawn.
- A flat lawn about ten metres long.
How a game unfolds
- Set the six hoops and the peg according to the chosen course.
- Each player places their ball at the start and strikes in turn.
- The aim is to send your ball through each hoop in the order of the course.
- Clearing a hoop scores a point and often grants an extra stroke.
- Once all hoops are cleared, you aim at the final peg to finish.
- The first side to complete the course (reach the points total) wins the game.
How to score
Each hoop run scores 1 point, the peg too. Points add up along the course.
Scoring in detail
- Each hoop cleared in the right order scores 1 point.
- The final peg also scores 1 point.
- You add up points along the course.
- The total to reach depends on the course: 14 by default here (six hoops out and back plus the pegs), adjustable for a shorter course.
A player links several strokes on their turn. Each hoop cleared in the right order scores 1 point and, often, an extra stroke.
| Stroke | Action | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clears hoop 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Clears hoop 2 (bonus stroke) | 2 |
| 3 | Misses hoop 3 | 2 (turn ends) |
Clearing a hoop grants an extra stroke, which lets you link shots. Missing a hoop ends the turn. The total to reach (14 by default) matches all the hoops plus the pegs.
Winning
The first side to reach the chosen total wins the game.
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PlayFouls and special cases
- Clearing a hoop out of order does not score the point.
- Touching the peg before clearing all hoops does not count.
- Striking an opponent ball may be allowed (croquet stroke) or not, depending on the chosen variant.
Tips to play well
- Strike the ball low and clean with the centre of the mallet face: a clean stroke rolls straight and clears the hoop better.
- Aim to land just in front of the next hoop on each stroke, rather than attempting a long, risky run.
- Use the bonus stroke after a hoop to reposition before the next one: that is how you link a break.
- On a sloping lawn, allow for the drift: the ball always curves towards the bottom of the slope.
A bit of strategy
- If the variant allows the croquet stroke (striking an opponent ball), use it to send an opponent away from their next hoop.
- Keeping the initiative beats speed: a player who links hoops thanks to bonus strokes can complete the course in a single turn.
- In teams, coordinate your positions: a well-placed ball can block the hoop the opponent is aiming for.
Variants
- Garden croquet (golf croquet) simplifies the rules: you simply aim at the next hoop in turn.
- Association croquet is more tactical, with croquet strokes that let you move an opponent ball.
- You can shorten the course (a single pass of the hoops) for a quicker game.
Key points
- Run the hoops in the course order.
- A hoop run or the peg scores 1 point.
- The total to reach is adjustable (14 by default).
Frequently asked questions
How do you score in croquet?
Each hoop cleared in the right order scores 1 point, and the final peg 1 point. You add up along the course, and the first side to reach the set total (14 by default here) wins.
How many hoops in croquet?
Classic garden croquet uses six hoops and one or two pegs. The ball must clear each hoop in the order of the course, out and then back.
What is the difference between golf croquet and association croquet?
Golf croquet is simpler: each player aims in turn at the next hoop. Association croquet is more tactical, with croquet strokes to move opponent balls.
Can you hit the opponent ball in croquet?
It depends on the variant. In association croquet, touching another ball grants a croquet stroke to move it. In golf croquet, you just aim at the hoop.